Colombia’s election authority announces probe into financing of president’s campaign

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Colombia’s National Electoral Council (CNE) announced an investigation into the 2022 election campaign of President Gustavo Petro for alleged financing violations.

In a press release Tuesday, the CNE said reports of several contributions and payments, including those from the National Federation of Educators, had been omitted from authorities and the campaign which brought Petro to power had therefore committed serious irregularities.

Seven of the nine CNE magistrates voted to approve an investigation into Petro, his campaign manager Ricardo Roa, three other members of the campaign, and the political movement Colombia Humana and Patriotic Union (UP) party.

The CNE maintains that the irregularities would have occurred in the first round on May 29, 2022 and in the runoff on June 19 the same year.

“The candidate, campaign manager, treasurer and auditors are accused of the alleged violation of the spending limit,” the statement said.

Petro rejected the decision and said on X that “the coup has begun.” He has denied the accusations, saying they are made up by the adversaries of his leftist government to remove him from office.

The outcome of the investigation cannot result in Petro’s removal from office. The entity in charge of investigating the president in Colombia is the lower house of Congress, which must evaluate whether there are merits to initiate a formal process in accordance with the decision of the CNE.

The findings of the investigation will be sent to the House of Representatives Accusations Committee, where presidents must be tried according to the Constitution.

“The CNE can never, nor does it have the power to investigate the President of the Republic. This is the beginning of the coup d'état. The integral presidential jurisdiction has been violated and the rule of law and the respect for the popular vote and democracy have been broken.”

Petro called for a “general mobilization” against the CNE investigation.